WildePerd/Zebra- Info needed please

[Bloks]

  Good day gents. I only caught three or four WildePerd in my life before. It was years ago. Could you guys please give some tips on where to look for these fish (Hermanus to Struis area?


1. Are they summer or winter fish?
2. Do I fish in foamy water?
3. What baits would you suggest( I caught mine on red bait and pilchard if I can remember correctly)
4. Do they like deep or shallow water?
5. What is the size and bag limits?
6. Are they tasty?
7. How big is a big one? ( 40cm +?)
8. if you could post a pic of typical WildePerd water it would be AWESOME


thanking you in advance

[Nooduck]

Very good questions that I would also like to know the answers too. I have only ever caught them as "by catch" whilst fishing for bait fish.

[Lenny]

If there are one fish is love and are most prolly one of my favorites to target because .


They fight harder than a galjoen and das , and you get them in certain areas were you can get a bunch of good side fish , they like the shoal .we have landed fish touching on 4 kg , and plenty of 2.5  fight HARD
Also like warmer water , with a bit a a kick , the " galjoen foam " you get them in , but you get them in clear water too .
They like fresh redbait hand down  , but eat front redbait , worms , mussel. Prawn small pilchard pike / tjokka baits .


They have a very distinctive bite , and you often miss them as you will just get slack line , they are known for bringing in your tackle , so knowing this , the best way is to just tighten up your line a bit ,, and you will feel he one already or he is still there . They also feed in water less than a meter deep , great for fish light .


You will often find wildeperb and Krackers in the same area ( krakers prefer a cleaner water this side . After the westerly )
They are around in very large numbers from march to middle may this side . Some has shown face lately , but I have not yet made a mission to target them . In Struis , they seem to disappear in winter , and the ones we get in the winter , are not the big ones we get now .


Oh and another thing , short sinker line  25 cm and a long hook 60 cm .

[Bloks]

 Thanx Lenny, much appreciated

[WalkersKiller]

Dont know if its valuable, but in the Eastern Cape these are some answers I can put forward 


1. Are they summer or winter fish? Have caught them all year round. The bigger ones (30cm +) seem to be more abundant in Winter.
2. Do I fish in foamy water? Foamy water yes, as well as areas with structure and rocks... You even catch them in rivers.
3. What baits would you suggest( I caught mine on red bait and pilchard if I can remember correctly) I use sand prawn or pink prawn and sard
4. Do they like deep or shallow water? Either or. They sometimes feed on the vegetation at high tide so they do venture into shallow water.
5. What is the size and bag limits? 30cm, 5 per day.
6. Are they tasty? Never eaten one, I rather release them. They are slow growing and beautiful fish.
7. How big is a big one? ( 40cm +?) My biggest is 49cm, but anything above 30cm does give you a rev.

[Bloks]

 

Thank you very much WK. Much appreciated. The last one I caught was approximately 17 years ago. I mainly fish for Galjoen (in season). But would like to try different species as well, especially during the summer months. I enjoy fishing the rocky areas. 

[WalkersKiller]

Not a problem 

 

[JacquesdW]

This is not from an angling perspective but a spearfishing/diving one...

I have not shot many as usually going for cracker in the same area but have seen countless ones. They prefer shallower water up to 5m depth, usually water with a bit of movement but clean. From diving in the same spots weekend after weekend, you see the same fish so can assume at least a temporary residence. Often seem to go in pairs, usually bigger fish too. Much more skittish than blacktails for what that means for angling for them??

But if there is one thing they love, it is caves, especially soft sandstone undercuts like you get at Arniston and Cape Infanta. Find that and you find zebras. They are not always in the caves but hang near the shelter.

I can only remember eating one (it was just shy of the WP record) and after that never again. Not a good eating fish.

This video gives you a good idea on what structure you should look for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbIE_iGtirk

[Marthin]

I have had them before... They have a wild taste, more than galjoen.  I personally like them but as with west coast hotties you need to take PROPER care of them. Clean immediately, make sure the stomach juices dont run onto the meat, keep on ice.

It is very nice but if you are not in a position to look after them that way, don't keep them.  I caught a nice one at struis between the belman west of the harbour. Unfortunately we didnt have a coolbox and i have to say it tasted HORRIBLE.

Further east, Gouritz mosselbay i've always associated them with colder water....

[Fish]

Good day gents. I only caught three or four WildePerd in my life before. It was years ago. Could you guys please give some tips on where to look for these fish (Hermanus to Struis area?


1. Are they summer or winter fish? Zebra bite all year round and prefer colder water as soon as the water drops below 16C they are one of the few fish that still bite along with White Steenbrass, Poenskop Mussel Cracker and Cape Stumpnose. Whenever you catch Zebra you know the water is cold.
2. Do I fish in foamy water? They often feed in a clean cold sea where most fish prefer working water but also feed in working water.
3. What baits would you suggest( I caught mine on red bait and pilchard if I can remember correctly) The Best baits for Zebra are mussel worm, coral worm but they love red bait but your best results will be on octopus cutlets on a no 2 or 1/0 hook or squid. For some reason they love Octopus probably because they both live in caves and grow up eating octopus from small. I catch loads on sand prawn and squid when targeting Bronze Bream but have caught them mostly on red bait octopus and squid.
4. Do they like deep or shallow water? They feed on flat reefs after a rough sea and in gully's 
5. What is the size and bag limits? They are too pretty to Keep
6. Are they tasty? They have a very distinct smell about them simelar to a Mrs Lucy some people love them others hate them its a personal taste a bit like Galjoen.
7. How big is a big one? ( 40cm +?) 40cm 1.9kg
8. if you could post a pic of typical WildePerd water it would be AWESOME


thanking you in advance

Save

[SAfish]

  Fish. Great first post and thanks for sharing.

[colin]

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  Fish. Great first post and thanks for sharing.
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[LGF]

There I was thinking I gonna see some pics of a wild horse, zebra cross that needed identification, yes this is a fishing site, but you never know, you know?